A timing pulse generating apparatus generates a variety of timing pulses used for acquiring image signals from a solid-state imaging device. A horizontal-ROM stores pattern data representing timing pulses for one period first generated in a horizontal scanning period and repeat times of the timing pulses for one period in the horizontal scanning period. Appropriate pattern data is read from the horizontal-ROM and set in a horizontal-register. A timing pulse generating circuit generates timing pulses in accordance with a count value of a horizontal-counter and the pattern data set in the horizontal-register. Thus, the amount of the pattern data is small even if the repeat times of the timing pulses for one period in the horizontal scanning period are large.